Christie’s to Feature Woodblock Print by Katsushika Hokusai

Katsushika Hokusai started painting when he was only six years old. At the age of 14, Hokusai apprenticed under renowned painter Katsukawa Shunsho. In the 1830s, at the height of Hokusai’s artistic career, he started working on a series of woodblock prints that captured Mount Fuji. This series took several years for the artist to complete, and each piece depicted the mountain in different seasons and atmospheres. A woodblock print from Katsushika Hokusai’s Mount Fuji series is available in the upcoming Important Japanese Art auction, presented by Christie’s. The lot depicts Mount Fuji surrounded by storm clouds.

This sale offers 270 lots of Japanese paintings from acclaimed artists such as Toshusai Sharaku, Shibata Zeshin, and Suzuki Harunobu. Beyond paintings and prints, the auction brings an iron sculpture of a shachi mythical beast. In the Edo period, shachi sculptures often decorated roofs, castles, and tower gates. It was believed that the creature would protect against fire. View more lots and register to bid online on Christie’s.